Murders In Honduran Prisons Linked to New York Drug Case Against President’s Brother
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Military in the maximum-security prisons in Honduras. Credit: El Heraldo
In late October 2019, two drug associates of Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernandez, were murdered inside two maximum-security prisons in Honduras.
The killing of Magdaleno Meza Fúnez (or Nery López Sanabria) in El Pozo prison and Marco Tulio Amador in La Tolva jail occurred a week after President Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH)’s brother, Tony Hernandez was found guilty of drug trafficking, use of illegal weapons, and lying to federal authorities in the New York Southern District Court on October 19, 2019.
Both murders were caught on prison surveillance cameras and within hours, the videos circulated in the Honduran press. The victims were believed to possess relevant information and physical evidence of President JOH’s and Tony Hernandez’s involvement in drug trafficking.
Video One: Magdaleno Fúnez Murdered Inside ‘El Pozo’ Prison
On October 26, 2019, Magdaleno Meza Fúnez was shot and stabbed inside the U.S.-style, maximum-security ‘El Pozo’ prison in Ilama, Santa Barbara. The video of the murder shows Meza Fúnez standing next to another prisoner (both dressed in white t-shirts) speaking with the prison director, Pedro Ildefenso Armas (later fired and then murdered) in the presence of other prison authorities. Then, a guard dressed in a military uniform opens the door to a cell block (or modulo as they are named in Honduras). As soon as the door is opened, several prisoners belonging to one of the largest organized criminal gangs in Central America, the MS13 shot at and stab Meza Fúnez as prison authorities flee the scene.
** WARNING: VIDEO IS VIOLENT AND DISTURBING **
Magdaleno Meza Fúnez or Nery López Sanabria is a drug associate of President JOH’s brother, Tony Hernandez. When he was arrested in Honduras on June 5, 2018, nine spiral notebooks (drug ledgers), weapons, and over $190,000 were found inside vehicles he and others were driving. The drug ledgers later became one of five important physical pieces of evidence used by U.S. federal prosecutors to demonstrate Tony Hernandez’s guilt in the New York Southern District Court. The ledgers listed Tony Hernandez, Juan Orlando Hernandez and others’ names as either receiving money, bribes, or drugs in Meza Fúnez’s drug trafficking activities.
Nery Lopez Sanabria or Magdaleno Meza Funez. Credit: La Prensa Honduras
Meza Fúnez is referred to using two different names. It is believed that he faked his (Nery López Sanabria) own death by registering his death in the Honduran National Persons Registry and later surgically altering his appearance as a disguise against being caught by law enforcement officials. He changed his name to Magdaleno Meza Fúnez.
For months following his detention, Meza Fúnez was held in the Tamara jail, a regular Honduran prison outside of Tegucigalpa and later transferred to the maximum-security El Pozo prison in northwestern Honduras. While in El Pozo, his lawyers repeatedly denounced the inhumane detention conditions he was held in, threats against his life, and fears that Meza Fúnez would be killed.
After he was murdered, Meza Fúnez’s lawyer Carlos Chajtur told Honduran press that his client had agreed to cooperate with U.S. federal prosecutors - this information was later confirmed in audio recordings of Meza Fúnez recorded before he was killed and later leaked by Univision. Meza Fúnez had critical information regarding the drug activities of high-level Honduran government officials including Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez who is named as a co-conspirator in the same case against his brother, Tony Hernandez.
Video Two: Marco Tulio Amador Murdered Inside La Tolva Prison
On October 25, 2019, less than 12 hours before the murder of Meza Fúnez in El Pozo prison, prisoner Marco Tulio Amador Varela was shot and killed inside the U.S.-style maximum-security La Tolva jail in southeastern Honduras. The video of Amador Varela’s murder shows two prisoners in white t-shirts talking with Amador Varela who is standing behind a metal fence. Moments later, a small group of prisoners that are returning to their cell block enter the frame of the video. Prisoner Marvin Lara, who is pushing a fellow prisoner in a wheelchair, quickly pulls away from the group, draws a gun and shoots at Amador Varela. The prisoners run away and Lara returns to turn himself over to the prison guards.
** WARNING: VIDEO IS VIOLENT AND DISTURBING **
At the time of his murder, Amador Varela was being held in a makeshift detention room in a special area of the prison. Weeks before he was killed, he had been taken out of the cell block where the general population is detained, for security reasons. In the video, he is standing in the area that is isolated from the rest of the cellblocks and was not expecting his fellow prisoner to pull a gun.
Former Honduran mayor Alexander ArdON (left) with President juan orlando hernandez
A few weeks after his murder, Honduran press reported that Amador Varela was the right-hand man of former Honduran mayor and confessed drug trafficker, Alexander Ardón. Ardón was a collaborating witness for U.S. federal prosecutors and testified against Tony Hernandez in New York courts. He was an important drug associate of Hernandez who met with El Chapo ‘Guzman’ and assisted President JOH in winning his Presidential elections.
Things That Are “Odd” (Or Not So Much) About The Circumstances Surrounding the Murders:
Both crimes occur inside maximum-security prisons with, according to President JOH, the most advanced security technology and various levels of security involving police and military forces. Weapons such as the guns must pass through two rings of security including one strict security check point that involves technologically advanced body and object scanners followed by physical revisions by military soldiers that are part of the National Force for the Control of the Prisons. This National Force was created by President JOH in November 2018 and is equipped with the "latest generation of technology” in order to “reinforce security” in the prison system. In addition to the National Force, Military Police are stationed inside the maximum-security prisons and the military-run National Anti-Gang Force.
The tactics to kill both prisoners are similar: Both look like they are being distracted through conversation while their killers seize the opportunities to murder them.
There are wheelbarrows in the frames in both videos. Some Hondurans believe that this is not a coincidence and could be a message or a sign with a specific meaning of some sort.
The Director in El Pozo jail is a police officer part of the National Penitentiary Institute (INP), the government institution in charge of the prison system in Honduras. This is unusual since the construction and inauguration of the maximum-security prisons have largely been under the control of military officers such as lieutenant colonels.
The circulation of the leaked violent prison videos is unusual. Never have videos of other murders or riots inside Honduras’ maximum-security prisons been circulated in previous occasions. Many Hondurans believe the videos to be a strong message to any potential collaborators willing to cooperate and provide information to New York federal prosecutors about drug activities linked to individuals in the highest levels of the Honduran government.